delicate ~ L.W

Chapter 2: The Morning Before

A week later

I wake up at 6 am, the sound of my alarm waking me up immediately. I groan slightly, sitting up in my bed and resting against the wooden headboard. As I wake up, I look around the forest green walls that make up my bedroom, noticing how empty it feels with all my belongings away in boxes scattered around my room. I've still got a fair amount of packing to do, which I've left pretty last minute considering Ffion and I move to North London in a couple of days.

I run my hands through my short, silky brown hair, sighing softly. I begin to overthink about this move, realising I'm leaving behind the only home I've known for the past 5 years, leaving behind friends that I count as family, knowing I will never be able to replace them. I wonder if perhaps some of my arsenal teammates will soon join that family. I'm glad I know at least a couple of my new teammates, Jen and Katie, after meeting them during my national team duties. Oh, and Jill Scott, but she won't be one of my arsenal teammates, I met her from national duties as well.

I've kept in contact with them all for the past couple years, they were the next people that I told about my transfer (after Ffion and my best mate and national team Captain, Sophie Ingle, of course), face timing me immediately on our group chat. Our chat also being know as the 4 nations (Ireland, England, Wales, and Scotland). They were all thrilled and excited about the news.

BANG

I quickly get out of bed, suddenly no longer tired and race out of my bedroom and across the landing, trying to not crash into the boxes lining the walls and running down the stairs, tripping on the last stairs and knocking into the wall, letting out a hiss of pain, and walking into the kitchen, where the noise came from, breathing heavily.

I look to see Ffion standing there, her shoulder length, brown hair up in a low bun. She turns to look at me with wide eyes as she grimaces slightly.

"Sorry, Els, I didn't mean to scare you I was just trying to make breakfast for you but I knocked the saucepan on the floor and-" she waffles, her voice getting faster with each word.

I interrupt her, laughing loudly, "it's alright, Fi. God, see, this is why I make breakfast and not you!" I walk over to her and swing my arm over her shoulder, our height difference evident as I guide her out of the kitchen. "Go sit down, I'll fix us something up quickly and clean my kitchen that you just wrecked."

"I'm sorry, I was just trying to do something nice," she whines with a slight pout, looking up at me with her Hazel eyes, similar to my dark green ones.

"It's fine, go sit down"

"Fine" she groans out with a grumpy expression as she stomps like a toddler towards the sofa.

I walk her with a soft look in my eyes and a slight smile, remembering how she would always stomp off when she was annoyed. I remember when we managed to escape from our parents and when we moved into an apartment and were painting it, she couldn't paint the wall without leaving streaks along the walls, so she threw the paint brush down on the ground with a huff and stormed off. Luckily enough, there was an old sheet down on the floor where she threw the paint brush so she didn't make much of a mess. I expected her to have little tantrums given that she had 16 just a week prior, but even now, at the age of 23, she is still having little tantrums.

I snap out of the memory, coming back to reality and starting to clean the kitchen before whipping up scrambled eggs, mixed with bacon, and chucking it on top of toast.

I pick up the two plates, carrying them into the living room, putting them down on the coffee table, "right, you menace, what do you want to drink? You have two options. Water or apple juice?" I ask with a slight giggle as she look up at my, unimpressed by the nickname and crossing her arms, grumbling out, "water please"

I walk back into the kitchen, laughing loudly as I grab two glasses, filling them both with water and carrying them into the living room, placing them down on coasters.

Knock knock

I look over at Ffion with a confused expression on my face, "Are we expecting anyone?"

"No, I don't think we are"

I shrug it off and walk over to the front door, opening it to see my best friend and national team Captain, Sophie Ingle, looking at me with a wide smile. A wide smile fall over my lips, "what are you doing here so early, Soph?," I ask.

She bring me into a tight hug, speaking into my ear, "did you really think I wouldn't come with you, mate?" I hug her back tightly, laughing softly, "Of course not, come on then we're leaving in like an hour? I need to get dressed and shower."

She pulls out of the hug and takes her shoes off in the doorway, walking into the living room, ruffling Ffions hair before plonking down on the sofa, "shwmae, mini, are you ready?" She asks, smiling over at Ffion as I walk them with a soft smile, leaving against the doorway.

I watch them converse for a few moments, loving the sisterly bond they share before walking upstairs and grabbing two towels, heading into the shower. I place the towels down on the towel rack and stripping out of my pyjamas, folding them, and placing them down on the toilet seat before turning on the shower. I unlock my phone, going straight to Spotify and pressing play on my shower playlist, which is basically made up of 2000's throwback, Adele, Taylor Swift, Gracie Abrams, Jade Lemac, and more.

I jump into the shower and my body immediately relaxes under the hot water as I sing along to the playlist. I quickly wash my hair and body before getting out and putting my hair in a towel and wrapping the other one around my body.

I keel singing along to my playlist as I enter my bedroom, picking out a fairly simple outfit and throwing it on. I walk over to my desk, plugging in my hair dryer as I start to dry out my hair, which doesn't take long considering the hair is only short and stops around halfway down my neck.

I walk down the stairs, grabbing my backpack from the bottom of the stairs case and leaning against the living room door, running my fingers through my hair. "Everyone ready?" I ask Fi and Soph, to which I receive synchronised nods in response and we all head out of my house as I lock the door behind us.

AN: I'm aiming to get a chapter out every needed around about. At first, they'll be a little short as we get into the story, but they'll let longer as time goes on. Also, some things may be slightly accurate. There's a slight hint towards Ffion and Ellie's backstory as well if you look hard enough ;) A photo of Ellie's outfit is at the top of the chapter x